Death in the Family
by kadawon01
Summary: As a darkness is fast approaching Tamriel, a young boy is raised in secret, not knowing that he will become the dragonborn. Romantic content later in the story. Viewer discretion is advised. This is the first part of my story called "Revenge Solves Everything"
1. The Calm Before the Storm

"We are in danger, Master."

"What is it, Brother?"

"The paladins are already searching throughout the nation."

"Then we will take a stand."

The master was showing signs of fear in his voice. They were two both wearing hooded cloaks, but the master's cloak was black while the other's was white. The cloaks were just big enough to hide their eyes.

"Master, we cannot simply fight them. We may work in secret, but our work never stays out of the paladin's ears."

The master slowly pulled off his cloak.

"If they come, we will fight."

The master was a wood elf. He had long brown unkept hair and dark green eyes. The master looked at his friend.

"The brotherhood will understand, but if we do not fight then the paladins will track us down."

"But master, what about Ralphie?"

"He isn't old enough to become a formal member, but he will be under the safe watch in the Boar's Tooth."

"Master, a tavern can't protect a child from trained swordsmen"

"A tavern that has over a hundred secret passages"

"Yes, but-"

"No, this discussion is over! Tell the brotherhood to prepare."

*.*.*

"Ralphie, come here."

"Yes, pa, what is it?"

The wood elf guildmaster looked at the child. He had the main features of a nord, a maculine body, jet black hair, and a thirst for adventure . But the ears, he had half-elven ears.

"Ralphie, the brotherhood isn't safe. It is in danger of being invaded by the paladins. As I have told you many times, I will never lie to you. It is no longer safe here. One of the passages in the bar takes us to Morrowind, while another takes us to Hammerfell."

"Where in Hammerfell?"

"The Cyrodiil border, what's wrong with Morrowind?"

"It would be a long walk, pa."

"Aye, it would. Alright, I'm going to go see if Avikr is ready for any invasions."

"Yes, pa."

*.*.*

"Eh! Crottus, what're you doin'?"

"I'm working, you idiot. Do you mind?"

"Those damned assassin's in yer head again?"

"Actually, yes. Their mountain home is quite, err, protected."

A third man walked into the room, but he was far more muscular. He wore armor that could only make him seen as a-

"Captain, I- I wasn't aware that you were awake, I-"

"Quiet, whelp, I'm here to tell you two that the-" He peered around the war tent quickly, "the mage has agreed to reveal the assassin's secret to getting into their den."

The three soldiers walked out of the tent. They were surrounded by dozens of other tents. All surrounded by one large tent, the captain's tent. The paladins walked in slowly.

The captain said in a false joyful tone, "Greetings, Battlemage, we have been awaiting your arrival!" A cold breeze was filling the tent.

A harsh tone made the paladins shudder, "Do not call me a battlemage, I do not serve the empire, nor will I serve a group of soldiers determined to destroy everything that they cannot understand or control!"

The captain was resisting the urge to yell back, but he knew that it would be the last thing he ever did. And so, he just backed away slowly.

The harsh voice continued, "You serve me, just because you want to betray me, doesn't mean that you could! I could kill every soldier in this camp before an arrow would even brush against me."

The captain studdered, "I- I'm sorry, m- my lord. I would never try to harm you."

The harsh voice was coming from behind a dark cloak. Its skull designs were obviously involved with necromancy. This disturbed the paladins, as they were tasked with destroying every mage, assassin, and theif in Cyrodiil. And seeing as the brotherhood in the mountains had all three, they had to accept the help of unlikely people.

The cloaked man turned around. He took off his hood, and revealed his gray skin, sunken face, war scars, pointed ears, and glowing orange eyes.

"Y- you're a vampire?" the captain said childishly.

"Yes, you idiotic child." the mage said angrily, "now, let us discuss the mtter at hand."

"Of course, wait, how do you have this information?" the captain asked eagerly.

"I knew the guildmaster, Kadawon, he was my friend." the mage said with a hint of sadness, "he was a fool, he thought that ignoring the paladins would keep the brotherhood secret."

"You're not, err, thinking of betraying us, are you?" the captain said with fear.

"I want Kadawon dead, I do not care about anything else," the wizard said calmly.


	2. Achilles' Dawn

"Damnit, brother. Why can't we finih the barricades in time?"

"Master, the paladins have a war party just beyond the mountans. We don't have any time!"

The guildmaster was discussing the defense plans against the paladins with his best assassin, a young redguard named Avikr. The wood elf had been stubborn and was not willing to retreat until he saw true war.

The wood elf looked over the map that outlined every secret passage and entrance in the mountains. "We shall set traps along the east, no doubt they will try to enter from there."

"Yes, master." The assassin wouldn't dare to disagree, "Shall I tell Ralphie to prepare?"

"No, I have another plan." The master smirked.

*.*.*

"Hello, Ralphie!" the elf yelled cheerfully.

"Hi, pa, I got something for you" the boy said merrily handing the elf a box.

The elf opened it to see that it was a golden gauntlet. "Ralphie, how did you get this?"

"I found it in the snow yesterday, I cleaned it and found out that it's perfect for a fighter."

"Thank you, Ralphie. But, we must talk about something."

"Yes, pa?" the boy asked curiously.

"You're twelve, and though the rule is that you must be thirteen, I feel that you should join the brotherhood."

"I understand." The boy had no feeling in his voice.

The boy walked to his room and closed the door. The elf immediatly assumed that he'd made a mistake. But he didn't dare admit that his son becoming an assassin was a mistake.

*.*.*

A few days later, the barricades were almost complete. And Ralphie had made his hair into thiry-two short braids, one for every member of the guild. The next day Ralphie would be initiated into the guild. He had trained in stealth but his father was weary to let him fight trained soldiers that study assassin tactics for a living. Of coarse, many guildmembers protested the master's decision. And even the master protested it, silently. Nevertheless, the master decision was final.

"I trust your judgement, master. But, does Ralphie?"

"It is doubtful, but he is brave, he will not deny being allowed this honor so soon." the master accidently let out a tone of sadness. He took off his gauntlet and began writing on it with a chisel.

"Master, what are you doing?"

"I'm writing the code of the guild. May it be a message to the guildmaster after me." the elf explained while starting on the second law.

*.*.*

Thirt-one men and women stood around a twelve year old boy. three of which were closest to him. All were wearing cloaks, but the three closest to child wore different colors, on the left was a man in a red cloak, on the right a women wearing a blue cloak, and in the middle an elf wearing black.

"Ralph Earthblade, would you ever harm an innocent person?"

"Not until innocence is lost."

"Ralph Earthblade, would you hide in the plain sight of others?"

"Until they are blind."

"Ralph Earthblade, would you ever compromise the guild?"

"Neither direct or indirect."

The elf in black pulled of his hood. "Then it is time. Choose your spirit animal."

The other two pulled off their hoods and then all three of them raised their sleeves, revealing markings of animals. Meanwhile, many other assassins seemed to be angry about what the elf said.

The elf continued, "As a decision made by the guildmaster, I am allowing you entry into the council. As tradition goes, we shall tell you our spirit animals.

The man in red explained that his animal was the troll, as i represents strength and endurance. The woman in blue told of how her animal was the bear, as it represents her home land in skyrim, windhelm. And then the elf told that his animal was the hawk, as it demonstrated true stealth and showed a hunter in its purest form.

"Now, what is your spirit animal?"

This thought hadn't crossed the boy's mind. Then he remembered that he was once attacked by a beast, but before it struck, it smelled him, and saw him as one of its young.

"My spirit animal shall be a wolf"

"Then it is decided, welcome to the brotherhoo-"

"THEY'RE COMING!"

Every head turned to see what had just happened. An old man was standing at the doorway, panting.

"What, who?" the elf asked trying to sound calm.

"The paladins, i- it's Malareth, that traitor. HE TOLD THEM!"


End file.
